Homecoming
by AZillionLittleStars
Summary: Percy considered pulling out the spare key from under the door mat, but something felt wrong about just walking into the homey apartment he hadn't been in for nine months. {Percy x Annabeth/Does not line up with House of Hades/One-shot.}


**Title**- Homecoming

**Summary**- Percy considered pulling out the spare key from under the door mat, but something felt wrong about just walking into the homey apartment he hadn't been in for nine months. {Percy x Annabeth/Does not line up with House of Hades}

**Rating**- T {Violence, hints at PTSD}

**Warnings**- Violence, dark themes.

**Word Count-** 1, 198

**Disclaimer**- I don't own Percy Jackson or any recognizable characters/items.

**Author's Note**- See? I told you I was on a writing roll. Enjoy this one-shot, because I just really need to have some gushy Sally/Percy action going on. Anyways, this doesn't really match up with House of Hades (because honestly? I was a little disappointed with the Tartarus scenes). Ta-da!

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Percy considered pulling out the spare key from under the door mat, but something felt wrong about just walking into the homey apartment he hadn't been in for nine months. It almost felt like breaking and entering. Settling for knocking, Percy brought his hand up to the door and tapped on it a couple of times. Due to the strange circumstances, he accidentally knocked a little to quietly. Mustering up the courage to try again, Percy began to wonder why he was so nervous about what he was going to say to his mom.

_Oh hey Mom_.

_I'm home_.

_Look who's back from disappearing and losing his memory, then saving the world for a second time!_

He didn't have much time left to think about his word choice, when the old squeaky door that needed to be replaced opened.

"Ms. Reller I understand the walls are not soundproof. The microwave is not that-" Sally Jackson-Blofis said sweetly with a tad of annoyance in her voice. When she looked up from her bowl of blue cookie dough, her arms were wrapped around Percy before the bowl hit the ground.

"Percy." Sally whispered, running her fingers through his hair to make sure he was really there. Percy had grown to be a towering six inches over her, but at the moment with the weight of her son's disappearance off her shoulders, she could have been compared to a NBA player. Sally finally let go after what felt like only a matter of seconds when Paul came down the small hallway.

"Sally, is everything alright? I heard a loud crash." Paul almost walked right past them and into the kitchen when he noticed the mob of black hair in the doorway.

"Percy!" He yelled, giving his step-son a hug without even thinking about it. It was strange, since they had never really hugged before. Sure Percy liked Paul a lot better than Gabe, and Paul always showed affection towards him, they never really became...father and son.

Percy decided that it would be best if he didn't say anything- 1) it would probably end up being idiotic and 2) he might start crying. _That would be embarrassing_.

Sally hugged him again, when she noticed the small figure standing in the shadows. It took a moment to recognize them, slowly slipping away from the scene.

"Annabeth?"

Her brilliant gray eyes shot up, like she had just been caught for doing something terrible. Percy spun around like Annabeth might disappear in the few minutes he hadn't been with her and gripped her hand. Her body stiffened, but gratefully accepted the welcoming hug from Sally. Even after saving the world and all that jazz, her mother refused to speak (_or even look_) at her. Having someone that loved her like a mother should...maybe there was hope for love yet.

{}

Dinner that night was quiet. Sally and Paul knew better than to push the questions. Percy scarfed down the feast (Tyson would be proud) thankfully. Annabeth barely touched her small portion. Annabeth and Percy sat as close as the chair design allowed. They made small talk about things, like visiting Rome and the Argo II.

Around ten o'clock, Sally announced she was going to set up the couch for Annabeth. Annabeth shook her head and protested, insisting she could stay at a hotel or drive back to camp. Sally quickly shushed her, countering that it was much too late for that and there will be no arguing. It took until Annabeth changed into one of Percy's old t-shirts for Sally notice the bandages around her ankle. Though the ambrosia healed a majority of the bone, there was still damage from all of the running-for-her-life she did on it. Annabeth was quickly accommodated to on the couch, Percy coddling her in his arms like she was going to vanish at any given moment. They watched Scooby-Doo reruns until their eyelids drooped over.

Everything was peaceful until midnight.

Percy had drifted off into oblivion, when it slowly turned the tables. Suddenly, he was back in Tartarus. Annabeth was curled into a ball next to him, blood oozing down her side. They were surrounded by all of his past enemies- the minotaur, emposui, the drakon, and parts of Kronos. Riptide was in pieces. There was no way out, and he was watching Annabeth die.

Gaea had won.

_It's just a dream_! He tried to tell himself. _Wake up_!

He did wake up, though it was not due to his personal wake-up pleas. Instead, he was awakened by a loud crash coming from the kitchen. Before he even opened his eyes, he knew something was wrong. Annabeth was no longer next to him, wrapped inside his arms where he couldn't loose her again.

"Annabeth!" He screamed.

It didn't take long to find her.

She was in the kitchen, swinging her dagger wildly around. The celestial bronze scraped against the pots and pans, surely waking up the surrounding apartments. However, angry neighbors were the least of his concerns.

"Annabeth! It's okay!" Getting closer to her, he noticed her eyes were squeezed shut. Percy heard his mom gasp from behind him. Annabeth couldn't seem to hear him. Quickly maneuvering away from her slashing dagger, Percy managed to wrap his arms around her. Her eyes shot open, and her dagger clattered to the ground. Percy could feel her shaking in his arms, and she curled into him. Annabeth sobbed, a sound Percy wished he would never have to see again. He would have been lying if he hadn't shed a few tears himself. They fell asleep like that, lying on the kitchen floor, holding on to each other for dear life. Sally covered them in a plethora of blankets, worried that if she woke them up they would never sleep again.

{}

The next morning, Annabeth refused to eat anything and Percy smashed a plate.

Things were far from perfect, but they were together and that was all that mattered.

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**Okay, leave me to cry. The ending was blah, but I'm not exactly sure how I wanted to end it anyways. Feedback is much appreciated!**

**{PS- I'm half way done with Chapter 7 of Twisted Memories, in case you were wondering.}**

**CATCHING FIRE IS TOMORROW! I REPEAT, CATCHING FIRE IS TOMORROW!**


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